Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 12: Mythimna Wainscots and allies

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Striped Wainscot Mythimna pudorina - None.  I've never caught this species locally but David Knight catches them regularly less than a mile away so I must be in with a chance of having one round here sometime, at the meadows (where good habitat is probably closer) if not here in the garden.


Brown-line Bright Eye Mythimna conigera - 2019 was my best year for this species here with 26 caught between 18th June (my earliest ever) and 28th July, double the average annual tally here.  A more typical 15 here between 23rd June and 1st August 2020.  Elsewhere one next door on 7th August 2019 (my latest ever), 2 at the meadows, 1 at Brancaster and 2 at Weybourne.

Brown-line Bright Eye, North Elmham, 18th June 2019

Brown-line Bright Eye, North Elmham, 23rd June 2020

Brown-line Bright Eye, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens - Totals of 42 caught in the garden between 24th May and 24th September 2019 and 139 between 18th May (my earliest ever) and 8th September 2020.  2019 was my worst year ever and 2020 was close to my best (and included a record count of 20 on 12th August).  Elsewhere recorded next door, 7 at the meadows, one at Swanton Great Wood, 3 at Whitwell Street, one at Weybourne and 2 in Cornwall.  I don't think the colour of the hindwing is as clear-cut a feature as it's sometimes taken to be in separating challenging examples of Common/Smoky Wainscot - when the forewing is ambiguous the hindwing sometimes seems to be too and I've had genitalically-confirmed Common Wainscots with distinctly dusky hindwings.  I do sometimes doubt myself with certain examples from this pair and sometimes resort to gen detting the odd one to make sure I'm on the right track.

Common Wainscot, North Elmham, 24th May 2019

female Common Wainscot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th September 2020

male Common Wainscot, North Elmham, 8th September 2020

Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura - At least 80 here between 23rd June and 1st August 2019 though possibly slightly more as not counted on a couple of nights.  Even allowing for a few more on those nights this was my worst year here until 2020 when just 53 between 15th June and 20th August.  I average around 94 a year.  Elsewhere 25 at the meadows over 7 nights, 2 at Bintree Wood, 2 at Brancaster, 6 at Weybourne, about 20 at Hellesdon and my latest ever in Cornwall on 9th October 2020.

Smoky Wainscot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

male Smoky Wainscot, North Elmham, 30th June 2019 (this one bearing a resemblance to Southern Wainscot, but I gen detted to make sure)

Smoky Wainscot, North Elmham, 18th June 2020

Smoky Wainscot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Southern Wainscot Mythimna straminea - Singles in my garden on 22nd July 2019 and 24th July 2020, the first times I've caught this species here.  Also one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019, 2 at Hellesdon on 14th July 2019 and one at Bintree Wood the same night as at home, 24th July 2020.

Southern Wainscot, North Elmham, 22nd July 2019

Delicate Mythimna vitellina - None.  I've never caught this species here, or indeed anywhere in Norfolk, but it's a reasonably regular migrant and sometimes crops up inland, so hopefully I'll get one here someday.  Quite surprising that I didn't catch any in Cornwall in early October 2020 as when I stayed at the same cottage for the same week in 2018 I caught a total of 106 there (and these were believed to be locally-bred individuals, at least in part).


White-point Mythimna albipuncta - 8 trapped in the garden between 22nd May and 12th September 2019 and 30 here between 3rd June and 7th September 2020.  The latter was my best year so far (I average about 13 a year) and included a record count of 5 on 8th August.  Elsewhere 2 next door, one at the meadows and one at Row Heath (West Runton) in 2019 but surprisingly since it was such a good year, none anywhere else in 2020.

White-point, North Elmham, 22nd May 2019

White-point, North Elmham, 12th September 2019

White-point, North Elmham, 4th August 2020

Clay Mythimna ferrago - Totals of 50 caught in the garden between 15th June and 29th July 2019 and 20 between 19th June and 31st July 2020.  I average about 53 a year here and 2020's total was my worst in the 6 years I've been here.  Elsewhere 7 at the meadows (on 4 nights), one at Bintree Wood, one at Brancaster and about 10 at Weybourne.

Clay, North Elmham, 19th June 2020

Clay, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Shore Wainscot Mythimna litoralis - One at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020.  This species is unlikely to turn up here although there is a record from Hindolveston so you never know.

Shore Wainscot, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020

L-album Wainscot Mythimna l-album - One at Tresidder (Cornwall) on 8th October 2020.  I'd caught 19 there in the same week in 2018 so that wasn't very good really!

Shoulder-striped Wainscot Leucania comma - Just 3 trapped here, between 14th and 26th June 2019 and 4 between 31st May and 11th June 2020.  That's now 4 out of 6 years that I've only caught 3-4 but the other 2 years produced far more (29 in 2015 and 15 in 2017).

Shoulder-striped Wainscot, North Elmham, 30th May 2019

Flame Wainscot Senta flammea - One at Sculthorpe Moor on 26th April.  I've never recorded this species locally but it does occur in the Wensum Valley (as this one was) so could potentially rock up round here somewhere - probably more likely at the meadows where there is Common Reed growing close by than here in my garden.

Flame Wainscot, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April

Next page: more Noctuidae

Deraeocoris flavilinea on the wrong host?

The best moth on the night of 7th June was a Woodland Marble Orthotaenia undulana.  Others new for the year were Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Willow Beauty and Shoulder-striped Wainscot.

Woodland Marble Orthotaenia undulana, North Elmham, 7th June

Willow Beauty, North Elmham, 7th June

Shoulder-striped Wainscot, North Elmham, 7th June

Other moths that night were Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 7 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, Freyer's Pug, Common Pug, Grey Pug, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, 2 Pale Oak Beauties, Common Wave, Light Emerald, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Pale Tussock, 2 White Ermines, 4 Buff Ermines, 4 Cinnabars, 2 Heart and Darts, 4 Ingrailed Clays, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Shears, 2 Common Wainscots, Brown Rustic, Middle-barred Minor, 3 Treble Lines, 3 Mottled Rustics, Spectacle and 5 Straw Dots.  Caddisflies consisted of Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus (the latter new for the year) and there was the mirid bug Psallus varians and a Common Frog.

The following day I found a Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella in the house, new for the year.  That night a Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana was the best moth in the trap - on average I only get one a year here.  Also new for the year was Treble-bar.

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham, 8th June

Also that night were Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Common Swift, Cream Wave, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 8 Silver-ground Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, Broken-barred Carpet, 2 Green Carpets, 6 Common Pugs, Grey Pug, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, Light Emerald, Elephant Hawk-moth, 2 Orange Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, 5 White Ermines, 9 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame Shoulder, Common Wainscot, 4 Brown Rustics, Treble Lines, 2 Mottled Rustics, 3 Straw Dots, the caddisfly Limnephilus marmoratus and a new leafhopper for the year, Fagocyba cruenta.

Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 8th June

Fagocyba cruenta (female), North Elmham, 8th June

The next day I had to help the Mrs with something on her allotment and found a few insects while I was at it, including Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Silver Y, Straw Dot and 4 Harlequin Ladybirds (3 adults and 1 larva).  There were also two differnt types of bugs I didn't recognise among the currants.  Well, it turned out that they were all the same species - one adult and at least 4 nymphs, but they were a species I hadn't identified before: Deraeocoris flavilinea.  Interestingly this species is supposed to have sycamore and field maple as its host plants, though it is often encountered on other trees and shrubs.  I can't help thinking this must have bred on the currants though, with so many nymphs present there as well as an adult.

Deraeocoris flavilinea, North Elmham allotments, 9th June - adult above, nymph below

A few quieter nights

A visit to Titchwell on Saturday 3rd June produced a few insects including Hairy Dragonfly, Large Skipper, Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana and Cinnabar.  At home a Tree Bumblebee appears to have been the first I've identified here.

That night Lime-speck Pug, Mottled Beauty and Pinion-streaked Snout were new for the year.

Pinion-streaked Snout, North Elmham, 3rd June

Other moths were 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 4 Common Swifts, Treble Brown Spot, 4 Silver-ground Carpets, Currant Pug, Common Pug, Clouded Border, Common White Wave, 3 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, Orange Footman, 9 White Ermines, 2 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, 6 Ingrailed Clays, 2 Shears, Bright-line Brown-eye, Common Wainscot, Brown Rustic, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Middle-barred Minor, 6 Treble Lines, Mottled Rustic, Burnished Brass, 6 Straw Dots and Snout.

Another new bee for the house (I'm sure I must have had these before... just not identified any before) was White-tailed Bumblebee.  A Limnephilus lunatus was the only caddis and another new species for the house was the psyllid Chamaepsylla hartigii.

Chamaepsylla hartigii, North Elmham, 3rd June

Next day yet another new bumblebee for the house, again one I suspect has passed me by un-noticed (I've tended to only identify those that appeared in the moth trap or inside the house before) - Buff-tailed Bumblebee.  Also found in the garden during the day were White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon koenigi, Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana and 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, the first two of which were new for the year here.

White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon koenigi, North Elmham, 4th June

New for the year that night were Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Flame and Shoulder-striped Wainscot.

Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, North Elmham, 4th June

Flame, North Elmham, 4th June

Shoulder-striped Wainscot, North Elmham, 4th June

Other moths were Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima, 3 Common Swifts, Blood-vein, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 4 Silver-ground Carpets, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, 2 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Common White Wave, 5 Light Emeralds, 3 White Ermines, 11 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Darts, 5 Ingrailed Clays, Small Square-spot, Bright-line Brown-eye, 2 Brown Rustics, 3 Marbled Minors, 5 Treble Lines and 8 Straw Dots.  Also the caddis Limnephilus lunatus.

New for the year on Monday 5th June were Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Riband Wave and the bug Pinalitus cervinus.

Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 5th June

Riband Wave, North Elmham, 5th June

Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 5th June

Other moths were Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 3 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Common Swift, 4 Silver-ground Carpets, Willow Beauty, 3 Light Emeralds, Elephant Hawk-moth, 4 White Ermines, Ingrailed Clay, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 3 Brown Rustics, 2 Marbled Minors, Treble Lines, Spectacle and 4 Straw Dots.

With strong winds and driving rain there were hardly any moths on 6th June - just 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Ingrailed Clay and Brown Rustic.

Next day Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella and Uncertain were new for the year.

Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 7th June

Uncertain, North Elmham, 7th June

Other moths were Sloe Flat-body Luquetia lobella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Common Swifts, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 5 Common Pugs, Clouded Border, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Common White Waves, 2 Light Emeralds, Buff Ermine, Heart and Dart, 3 Ingrailed Clays, 2 Brown Rustics, 2 Marbled Minors, 2 Treble Lines, 2 Mottled Rustics, 4 Straw Dots and Snout.

The green lacewing Nineta vittata was new for the year while caddisflies consisted of Hydropsyche pellucidula, Goera pilosa and Limnephilus auricula.

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 7th June

Goera pilosa, North Elmham, 7th June